[floatl][/floatl]A Genghis Khan barbecue in Japan is usually a grilled mutton affair - the name is thought to derive from the dome-shaped grilling plate which resembles the helmets worn by Mongol soldiers. Not the most obvious taste to turn into a sweet but Hokkaido is famous for its Genghis Khan Caramels. Even though most people expect them to be pretty vile, sales are fairly brisk, especially at Chitose and Sapporo Airports where visitors to the island are big buyers of these novelties. Hokkaido manufacturers have latched onto the fact that there is a market for repulsive candy and stores also stock Sapporo Beer, Konbu, Shio Ramen and Squid Ink Caramels. Connoisseurs say that the squid ink variety is almost acceptable. One box usually sells for 100 yen plus tax.


This blogger (Japanese) has written a two-part introduction to Hokkaido's "Crazy Caramels".

Mulboyne wrote:...Genghis Khan barbecue in Japan is usually a grilled mutton - the name is thought to derive from the dome-shaped grilling plate which resembles the helmets worn by Mongol soldiers.

I ate at a "Genghis Khan" outdoor BBQ late last summer in Bozo peninsula, the [url=http://www.motherfarm.co.jp/en/]"Mother Farm" (マ]. As far as I'm concerned, eatting mutton or lamb straight off the "barbie" is the only acceptable way to do it, but many (most) Japanese thought "Genghis Khan barbecue" was disgusting. Weird.

What IS it with these unpalatable snacks? I remember when I was in school in Hakodate, everyone kept saying I should try the famous cookies from the Trappist Monastery. Or more accurately, I should BUY the famously overpriced Trappist cookies. I declined.
As tourist season neared the end, shopkeepers could not clear their glut of cookies. I went into my usual coffee shop one day, and they were giving away a free Trappist Cookie with every cup of coffee. It tasted like dried glue.
I can only assume that these are purchased as omiyage, as an exercise in honne/tatemae. You give them to someone who must say oh yes, they were delicious. But you know they tasted like crap, you're just testing them.

I've never been privy to the consumption of the genghis khan dish, but meat flavored candy sounds pretty wretched. ...What the hell, I'll try it.

I've actually tried that Genghis Khan candy.... holy crap.
Imagine sugar, rotten garlic, rotten meat, and putty in your mouth.

Neo-Rio wrote:I... holy crap.
Imagine sugar, rotten garlic, rotten meat, and putty in your mouth.

Mutton caramel, fish ice cream as regional fare goes over top
Japan Times, Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2006
....Take Genghis Khan Caramel, produced by Sapporo Gourmet Foods Co. [of Hokkaido, Japan]. "Barf! This tastes like beef tongue topped with leek," said graduate student Noriyuki Suzuki, 22, after popping a piece into his mouth...."At first it tastes like normal caramel, but then comes the strange taste of lamb, barbecue and garlic," wrote Saori Atsumi ....
...An employee at Village Vanguard M's, a book and miscellaneous goods shop in Makuhari, Chiba Prefecture, said Genghis Khan caramels really started selling when the product started being sold under the catchphrase "Awful!"...
Genghis Khan Caramel are a major driving force in this sector," he said. Hokkaido is not alone in hawking strange-tasting products. The Kagawa Prefectural Fishery Cooperative has been selling its renowned fish ice cream....

Taro Toporific wrote:but many (most) Japanese thought "Genghis Khan barbecue" was disgusting. Weird.

You hear that from many quarters throughout J-land, but it is most amazing that when you go to the Sapporo Brewery's Beer Hall in Sapporo to have their famous Tabehodai/Nomihodai, which almost no Sapporo tourist will miss (if you are on a tour, it is almost mandatory), you have two hours worth of stuffing Genghis down your throat (with just a couple Sapporo brewskis of course) and the same J-people will be screaming "oiishiiii" "umaiiii", etc., and so on.

gboothe wrote:with just a couple Sapporo brewskis of course) and the same J-people will be screaming "oiishiiii" "umaiiii", etc., and so on.

I propose we make a video in a Japanese beer garden serving the Tibetan monk delicacy,vegan, deep-fried pig turd croquettes just to record the drunks squeal, "Oiishiiii" "umaiiii"!

Taro Toporific wrote:I propose we make a video in a Japanese beer garden serving the Tibetan monk delicacy,vegan, deep-fried pig turd croquettes just to record the drunks squeal, "Oiishiiii" "umaiiii"!

As you know Taro, that is two hours of all you can drink right out of the brewry tap, as fast as the babes can haul them to the table. Given that amount of time, you could have the Dali Lama dancing on the table!

Mulboyne wrote:Hokkaido manufacturers have latched onto the fact that there is a market for repulsive candy and stores also stock Sapporo Beer, Konbu, Shio Ramen and Squid Ink Caramels.

What, no mention of the Soup Curry Caramels?

I bought some last week, following the logic Soup Curry = good, Caramel = good, so of course Soup Curry Caramels = great.

Now I have a 90% full box to palm off as novely omiyage when I get home. Despite this I'm still tempted to try the Sapporo Beer caramels.


Has Soup Curry made it down south yet? I don't remember ever seeing it in Tokyo 4 years ago. Certainly way better than Curry Rice.